B&B OF LOVE AND FUN-36
Hello everyone. Thank you for all the reviews after last chapter. I'm happy, that you are still liking this story. I want to say a special thanks, to one of my readers- Manygreentrees, who gave me a fantastic idea for this chapter, which I'm going to use. If any of you has some ideas for this story, that you would like to share with me, do not hesitate to do that. I will gladly use them. It's very good and refreshing, to present someone else's idea. Hope you will like it ;-)
P.S. We are still in Scotland and we are going to do a little dig in Elsie's past...
The afternoon sun was shining so brightly, that it almost hurt Charles's eyes, as he was sitting by the window of their hotel room, waiting for Elsie, who was just getting dressed. They were suppose to go with Bill and Beryl for a walk, followed by the visit in the local tea room.
Charles agreed to that, but at the moment he started to hesitate..The very thought of spending another long afternoon with Beryl and Bill, has made him annoyed...They were friends and everything, but as far as this trip, Charles had enough of spending so much time with them...
He was lacking topics of conversation with Bill and he was tired watching Beryl's appetite for food and hearing her loud laugh...He would have given everything, to be just with Elsie, or even spend some time alone...As she came back from the bathroom, he decided to take his chances and try to get out of it...
"Els...Sweetie...You look stunning..."
"I feel a threat in here somewhere...Is there anything that you want from me my dear husband?"
"How do you know that I want something?"
"Because I know you so well my love...Even better than you know yourself..."
"Ain't that the truth..."
"So, what can I do for you love?"-Elsie kissed his forhead lovingly...She was starting to worry about him..He looked dull and annoyed, for the last two days and she needed to know why...
"Would you let me get out of this walk and tea room with Bill and Beryl?"
"You mean you want to stay?"
"Yes, I would love to..."
"But what about me...? Should I stay with you?"
"You don't have to...I know that you wanted to see this tea room very much and I will happilly have few moments to myself..."
"All right Charlie...If that is your wish...But what will I tell Beryl and Bill? What reason will I give, that you are not there?"
"Tell them, that I'm not feeling well and that I needed a good afternoon nap...I'm sure they won't mind.."
"Very well Charlie...And will you stay in the room all the time?"
"I'm not sure...Maybe I will check the local pub...I would love to try this beer that you told me about..."
"Ah...The lager...But please take a small pint...Otherwise you may not find your way back to the hotel.."
"I will manage..."
"Believe me Charles, you will not...Take the advice from Scottish woman, who knows what she is saying..."
"As you wish my love and thank you...Have fun..."
"You too...I will miss you..."
"Not more than I will miss you..."
A little while later...
Charles went out of the hotel, enjoying the stillness and silence of the quiet afternoon...He was happy to spent some time alone and he really wanted to visit the local pub and try the beer...Fortunately, it was not far away from the hotel and he could easily found the way...The pub was situated in the village where Elsie grew up...
Charles went inside and looked around...The pub was nicely done and he liked the atmosphere..There were few men there, busy with their own things...Drinking, chatting and laughing...Charles went to the counter and ordered a small pint of lager...He checked the room for free tables and found one in the corner...He sat there, enjoying some time off and tasting the beer...
Elsie was definitely right...The beer was quite strong and it had very pleasurable taste...Charles sighed deeply, thinking what a relief it was, to finally have some time to himself...This forced integration with Beryl and Bill was tiring and he wanted nothing else, but to remain here and taste one of Scotland's traditional drinks...
He didn't notice, that he was observed by a man who sat at the counter...A typical Scottish man- with a little tight suit, reddish beard...Before he realized, that man was already at his table, apparently wanting to make an acquaintanceship...
"How is that beer working out for you?"
"Very well, thank you..."
"It's a true Scottish gem...One of many...I'm sorry...I should introduce myself...I'm Logan McGregor..."
"Charles Carson...Nice to meet you..."
They shook hands cordially...
"You don't mind if I will sit down with you for a moment Mr Carson?"
"Not at all Mr McGregor..."
"Please call me Logan...Whenever someone says Mr McGregor, I'm thinking about my father..."
"All right Logan..."-Charles felt a little embarrassed by this situation, but he decided not to be prejudiced to this man...
"It must be nice for an Englishman to see such beautiful country as Scotland?"
"It certainly is Logan...But how do you know that I'm Englishman?"
"Let me put it this way...Your accent gave you away...Scottish people are knowing English men when they see one...Nobody could think, that you are Scottish, as nobody could think of me as English, am I right Charles?"- Logan laughed out loud cordially and Charles followed his steps...There was something very friendly about this man and he subcountiously felt that he was harmless...
"That's true...I'm from Yorkshire...I came here to the trip, with my wife and friends..."
"Ah, so you are from Yorkshire and your wife is our Elsie Hughes, am I right? I've seen your group few days ago, walking through the village..."
"You know Elsie?"
"Aye...We went to school together...I was two years older, but we were in the same class...I also lived just few houses away from her parents and we knew each other since childhood..."
"It's so nice to meet you Logan...I mean even nicer than before..."
"Let me tell you something Charles...You probably know this yourself by now, but you are the luckiest man in the world..."
"Am I?"
"Aye...There wasn't a boy in this village, who was not dreaming about marrying Elsie...We were all madly in love with her...But at the same time we knew, that we were not good enough for her..That she wanted something more...She was always telling us, how one day she will go away to search for a better life...Back then we thought, that it was just a childhood dream, that one day she will give up those dreams and stay here and marry one of us...But that never happened...Your wife is quite stubborn..."
"Like I didn't know that myself by now Logan..."-Charles smiled..."So, Elsie was that popular?"
"How could she be not? She was so pretty...She still is...I just saw you few days ago...I hope you don't mind me saying that Charles...Let's take one more sip of lager...It will be easier to talk..."
"I don't mind at all Logan..I'm ver proud to hear that..."
"Excuse me for asking- but are you married for a long time?"
"No, only few years...You see, we were working in the big house together for many years, as butler and housekeeper..."
"Wow...Our Elsie really went high...Excuse me for interrupting Charles..Go on, please.."
"We were working together, but before the war it was unthinkable for the butlers and housekeepers to marry, but after the war everything has changed and we decided to spend the remaining years together.."
"So you waited twenty, or thirty years to marry Elsie?"
"Unfortunately I did..."
"But at the end you got her...Congrats Charles...As I said, every man in the village would like to be in your place...We all wanted this, but nobody had enough caourage to ask...Only Joe Burns did...Once.."
"Actually Logan, he did ask twice...He came to Downton shortly before the war, to ask again..."
"No kidding! What a dog! And he denied when I asked him about that...He probably didn't want to admit his second defeat...I knew, that Elsie will marry someone more sophisticated than our old Joe... Some gentelman like you, with a posh manners...Sorry for being that open..."
"That's all right Logan...Can you tell me something more about Elsie's childhood? How you grew up together?"
"Aye...Her parents were such decent people...Her father worked hard, day and night, to give anything he could to his princesses...That's how he called his wife and girls...Mrs Hughes-Elsie's mother, was the sweetest spirit...She was kind and open to everyone...And her father was one of the wisest men in the village...If there was any important decision to be taken, they always asked him..."
"Did he died long time ago?"
"Very long...That's when Elsie decided to go to work to England...She didn't want to leave Becky...Poor spirit...Is she still alive?"
"I'm afraid not..She passed away recently..."
"I'm sorry to hear that...She was different and we all knew that, but nobody mind...They all adored her, her father, her mother and especially Elsie...She was her guardian angel..."
"She was...She paid for her care all her life...She had no money saved, when we got engaged..."
"And you took care of her Charles...Thank you for that...You are a good man...I can assure you, that the whole village is grateful for that...Oh our Elsie...When I saw you few days ago, I saw how happy she was and I thought, how lucky I am, to find out that she is so well taken care of...She was always so kind to everyone..."
"I couldn't agree more...When we were working in the big house, Elsie was like a mother to all the staff...Whenever someone was in trouble, they always came to her...Never to me..."
"So nothing has changed...She is still a sweet angel, just like she used to be...Not only a beauty outside, but also beauty inside...She deserves the best...Something tells me, that she won a lottery..."
"I don't know about that, but we are very happy together..."
"So, do you still work in the big house?"
"Not anymore...We retired and bought a B&B, which we are running together...With two of our friends, that you saw in the village..."
"What a wonderful lass our Elsie is...Not only the beauty one, but smart...She was like that in school you know...Always wanting to know more, always asking questions...Pure that brilliant!* Another pint Charles? You only had one small one...Let me get you another!"
"No, I should really go back..."
"Gonnae no dae that!** We only started...One more?"
All right, I guess there is no harm in that..."
Charles knew, that he should go back, but he was having such a great time in Logan's company, that he thought, that it wouldn't be bad, if he had one more beer...They kept on talking and talking, until Charles realized how late it was and he said goodbye to his unexpected companion...
"Haste ye back!"***-that was the Scottish goodbye, that he heard from his companion...He hurried back to the hotel, only to find Elsie already lying in bed, reading the book...And watching the clock, as she was really worried about Charles now..
When Charles entered the room, the very sight of his beloved wife, made him remember all the sweet things, that he heard about her in the afternoon and evening...
"Charles! For the love of God! Where have you been? I was so worried about you..."
"I'm fine Els...Really...Sorry for being late..."
Charles neared Elsie and he unexpectedly started to kiss her so tenderly, with such great dose of love, that she immediately forgave him...He took her face in his hands and held her steadily, while his lips lazily travelled on hers...There was so much affection in this kiss, that all the anger that Elsie felt, about him being so late, simply vanished...
"Well...What did I do to deserve this?"
"You are here Elsie and you are my wife..."
"Did you just realize that Charlie? It took you quite long to do that..."
"No sweetie, I knew it all along...But...Oh nevermind..I will tell you the story tomorrow...For now, let me just enjoy my wife..."
"But, the dinner Charlie...We should go and have dinner with Beryl and Bill..."
"Not tonight...Let's just stay and hide away from the world..."
"I can live with that honey..."
That was quite a long chapter...But I hope, that you had nice time reading it...Very enjoyable to write, because I like to dig in Elsie's past and of course that she was loved and adored by everyone in her village...As you probably guessed, the name of the Scottish companion was not accidental ;-) Oops, I did it again ;-) Few expressions used in the chapter, are typical Scottish expressions. The explanation is below. Thank you for reading and have a very good weekend!
*amazing
**Don't do that!
***Return back with a speed-used as goodbye